The Buddha was known as The Happy One. Though Joy is one of the Seven Factors of Awakening, with so much emphasis on working with suffering, joy can sometimes seem frivolous or unspiritual. His teaching on attending to the ‘Gladness Connected with the Wholesome’ is a key aspect of Wise Effort and developing a loving heart. We will practice and explore together this foundation for awakening joy.
Discover more from the Dharma Library
-
Daily Meditation Recordings with Christopher Titmuss- Week of June 10, 2024
This week’s topic is “Letting Go. An Act of the Will?”
We pick up a hot coal in the morning from the wood burner.
Ouch, we let go immediately. No thought. No desire. Instant letting go.
The language of letting go has entered into the mind of the meditator.
It is often not a solution but an ambitious state of mind.
Letting go reveals an outcome of understanding.
We can tell ourselves a 1000 times we should let go and it’s to no avail.
The desire to let go shows we are not ready to let go.
We will explore the preparation for letting go and wise responses employing at times letting go.
-
Daily Meditation Recordings, with Zohar Lavie – Week of February 7, 2022
This week’s theme is: Finding Happiness and Wellbeing on the Path
The understanding of how dukkha is conditioned and constructed lies at the heart of Dharma teachings. Dukkha and wellbeing are in relationship with each other; the abandonment of the causes of dukkha leads to wellbeing. The nourishment of the causes for wellbeing decreases dukkha. During this week we will explore our capacity to uncover and develop wellbeing through our practice, in ways that enrich our lives.
-
Endarkenment: Embracing the Medicine of Light and Dark
Recorded :
November 29, 2020 As we enter the darker months of the year, consider the profound restoration and healing that darkness offers us— both physically and symbolically. Darkness is often considered the absence of light, but it is actually a vital and regenerative essence of nature and consciousness. This session is an experiential exploration of the interplay of light…
-
Daily Meditation Recordings, with Martin Aylward – Week of March 30
We’re fortunate that Martin Aywlard has generously offered to lead our daily meditation sessions for Europe and the UK. To find out more about Martin, and to view his other contributions to Sangha Live, click here. Monday, March 30 Being in the body Wednesday, April 1 The elements of bodily life Friday, April 3 Being…
-
Breath as Medicine
Recorded :
January 5, 2025 Join us for our first Sunday Sangha session of the year on January 5th with Vimalasara Mason-John, inviting us to breathe into the new year with equanimity. It was through the potency of the breath that Prince Siddhartha became awake. It’s said that at the time of enlightenment, the Buddha was practicing anapanasati, the mindfulness…
-
Daily Meditation Recordings, with Ulla Koenig – Week of Oct 17, 2022
This week’s topic is “A Peaceful Mind”. Thoughts are our continuous companions. While some are harmless, others have a deep impact on us: not only do they shape perceptions, but they also influence our physical and mental well-being. In our darkest hours, we might feel the pain of negative, depressing or restless thought patterns. Shaken by their invasive nature, we often wish for a rest from the never-ending chatter. We dedicate the upcoming week to an exploration into the realm of thoughts and skilful practice.
-
Daily Meditation Recordings, with Zohar Lavie – Week of May 2, 2022
This week’s theme is: Opportunities for Deepening Compassion and Wisdom. Dharma teachings and practices invite us to use our difficulties and problems to awaken our hearts. Rather than seeing the unwanted aspects of life as obstacles, we can relate to them as the raw material necessary for awakening genuine wisdom and compassion.
The cultivation of wisdom and compassion for ourselves leads naturally to compassion for others. True compassion does not come from wanting to help out those less fortunate than ourselves but from realizing our kinship with all beings. -
Warrior heart: transforming anger into strength, dynamism and creativity
Recorded :
October 8, 2017 Dharma teachings point to how dangerous and destructive anger is, and how words and actions can cause great suffering. This class looks at skilful means for meeting and exploring anger, and for understanding and transforming it. Martin leads a specially oriented meditation, and his talk explores the inner strength and confidence which can arise from…
Discussion